Acme Business is committed to IT best practices across all technology fields that are important to your business or organization. Done well, they mitigate (or even prevent) future problems and allow your business to run smoothly, efficiently and safely.

We want your business to function like a well-oiled machine, just like Acme. So we’ve taken some time to identify and explain these best practices for your easy understanding.

IT Best Practices to Help Your Business or Organization

Let’s get the most out of your business technology by taking a few easy steps.

1. Replace Older Devices

Despite how well we can treat our devices, everything has an end. Each piece of technology in a business has a useful life for its performance. Acme Business recommends replacing aged equipment before it fails or before it presents itself as a security risk.

Security risks can occur when components become less capable of running advanced applications. Furthermore, OEMs eventually stop the production of parts and supporting software as the company focuses on building newer and better. Harder-to-acquire parts and software for outdated devices means more funds and time spent on maintenance and hunting for what you need.

Acme Business recommends this list of common devices at a business and their average useful lifespan are:

• Firewalls: Five years.
• Switches: Five years.
• Small printer: Three years.
• Large Printer: Four years.
• Laptops: Three years.
• Workstations: Five years.
• Servers: Seven years.
• Wireless Access Points: Three years.

These devices can last longer than their average by a couple of years when well-maintained. We still recommend replacing them because as your business expands and increases its workload, it’s best to have the latest technology that can handle those tasks.

2. Shutdown Your Devices

Shut down your business tech devices overnight or during long stretches of inactivity. Having the device always active means it is constantly connected to internet connections that can leave it vulnerable. An always-open connection is more easily accessible to bad actors. We can set an automated task to shutdown a device after the workday or extended inactivity.

3. Use Multifactor Authentication

Multifactor Authentication (MFA) is when a user presents two or more pieces of evidence to verify they are a registered user. Using this allows for added confirmation of who is accessing your accounts.

Acme always uses and recommends this among IT best practices for both business and personal purposes, because if one of the credentials becomes compromised, unauthorized users will not have the second credentials. This ensures your business – and valuable business data – is well secured and maintained.

4. Update Application & Operating Systems

Acme ensures that every program and computer we have, and assist with, is continually updated on schedule. Updating the software and operating system eliminates any potential threats that Microsoft or other companies have found by patching the systems themselves, preventing intrusions. Patches and software updates may also fix bugs or optimize any number of software applications you use to manage your organization.

5. Data Backups

Data backups often go overlooked as one of the most important IT best practices. Acme Business always has a data backup available for emergencies for both our systems and our customers’. It adds a safety net in case an incident occurs in which information becomes compromised or a primary data failure occurs. We update them regularly and have them available at a moment’s notice.

Give Your Business Peace of Mind with These IT Best Practices

Using these IT best practices ensures that we keep moving effectively, efficiently and at the pinnacle of protection to provide excellent service to keep your business well-maintained.

If you’re interested in learning more about managed IT services, chat with the experts here at Acme Business. We work alongside noted cybersecurity partners like SentinelOne, as well as data management systems by Kyocera, among many other products and services. Acme Business owner James Finch, Jr. also leads his team with a Level 4 Security Awareness certification, the highest offered by the Criminal Justice Information Services.

Call Acme Business at (716) 372-1325 and connect with us on LinkedIn. Our experts can tailor managed IT services to your unique business needs.